I'm starting to think DeAndre Hopkins is my top choice for the Pats. He's probably a low 4.4/high 4.5 guy but he can get behind a defense. His route running is fantastic. He runs nice comeback routes and we have seen the Pats incorporate a lot of back shoulder throws this year. He also runs some sick double moves. He's not as electric with the ball in his hands as Tavon Austin or Cordarrelle Patterson but he's no slouch when it cokes to yac either

I'm really starting to like Marquise Goodwin from Texas and Aaron Dobson from Marshall. Another guy that I've been high on for a few year now is Marquess Wilson. All of those would do well in our offense, but I'm not sure if BB would draft them. They'd have to show that they can grasp the option route concepts that the offense employs. Playing receiver in NE is really a difficult task..

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Originally Posted by ElectricEye

I'm a whiny little kunt. Feel sorry for me as I go masturbate to a picture of my mom dressed as a teletubby.

The Patriots could use a pure pass rushing DE to put in on passing downs at the very least. They have tons of size inside, but they could use some speed. I wouldn't mind the Pats taking Alex Okafor in the first if he is available. I must admit I am not a big fan of Ansah, but he does have potential.

Pats also could use another outside receiver. Stedman Bailey or Aaron Dobson could be really good picks in the 2nd/3rd rounds. I am not enchanted by any of the 1st round receivers, except Tavon Austin, but the Pats will likely keep either Welker or Edelman, and they don't really need any more small slot receivers.

The Pats could also use a strong safety. I like Vaccaro and Swearinger, who both can cover and defend the run, so they could definitely help the Pats secondary.

I recently saw a name I think might end up being a surprise first rounder or maybe second rounder for NE. Phillip Thomas, Safety, Fresno State. He has some issues to fix in the open field (he struggles with incredibly illusive backs, which NE can fix easy) but he does everything on the field and loves the film room. Lots of athletic talent. Very solid tackler. 6'1", 215 and looks like he could be 225 if he wanted.

His biggest knock is his lack of elite speed (he's probably a 4.5-4.6 guy), but the rest of his combine numbers will be very good.

One of the things that I liked when I saw him was he seemed to get better as the games went on. He adjusted very well.

I recently saw a name I think might end up being a surprise first rounder or maybe second rounder for NE. Phillip Thomas, Safety, Fresno State. He has some issues to fix in the open field (he struggles with incredibly illusive backs, which NE can fix easy) but he does everything on the field and loves the film room. Lots of athletic talent. Very solid tackler. 6'1", 215 and looks like he could be 225 if he wanted.

His biggest knock is his lack of elite speed (he's probably a 4.5-4.6 guy), but the rest of his combine numbers will be very good.

One of the things that I liked when I saw him was he seemed to get better as the games went on. He adjusted very well.

Overall I don't think that's a good article. The writer states Austin can't be compared to Harvin or Cobb because he is a small WR and they aren't and uses a measurement of his own creation to determine what a small WR is. It's easier to say the guy isn' a top prospect physically when you compare him to Welker and Amendola, however he is very similar to Harvin and pretty similar to Cobb.

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This background information about these other slot receivers is to underscore the point that, if Austin is truly one of the five best receiver prospects in this yearís draft class, then I believe one of these factors must apply:

1. Austinís dynamic ability approaches that of Steve Smith.
2. The NFLís offensive evolution to spread sets with hybrid players is increasing the value of slot receivers.
3. This is one of the weaker classes of senior receivers in recent years.

Steve Smith was a 4.39 guy at the combine. He is also very shifty. Austin will likely be at worst a low 4.4 guy and is also very shifty. What separates Steve Smith from others is his physicality.

I don't think the article is great, but I think the overall point is correct: Guys like Tavon Austin don't belong in round 1. And guys like him that NE uses in their system are generally late rounders or UDFAs.

Austin isn't as big and physical as Percy Harvin. Harvin gets somehow associated with the rest of the guys from UF that have been smaller speed backs when he was a bigger and stronger RB. He's closer to Gillislee than other UF backs.

I don't have a huge problem with Austin if he's drafted in a round that makes sense for the type of talent he is, but that round is like the 3rd.

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Ehh... We see guys like Austin get underdrafted all the time. DeSean Jackson, Antonio Brown, Steve Smith, Wes Welker... We ridiculously large sample sizes of what these guys are capable of doing on the field. We know they're extremely fast and can make plays. We know exactly what they are - which is someone that brings the production level of a Top 15 pick - and we see them go late in the draft over and over and over again. Why? It's dumb. You know what the guy is. You know his skill set translates to today's game. You know he'll be highly productive and you pass on him until later. It's silly.

DAndre Hopkins or Terrance Williams would be good first round picks but nto a fan of Williams for the 1st round, struggles underneath. Hopkins would be a great fit.

I think second round might bring more value if we can't get Hopkins with Justin Hunter, Markus Wheaton, Aaron Dobson, Da'Rick Rogers or Marquis Goodwin

I think we need a safety or CB in round 1 or 2, plenty with size and pop. With safety Vaccaro would be awesome but a trade up is needed. Elam would be greta but his size and how he plays worries me, still would spend a first round on him. Reid reminds me of Chung to much, Phillip Thomas is a playmaker but his tackliing worries me and his speed. Jonathan Cyprien would be a great 2nd round pick, he attacks, hits hard and can cover, same for JJ Wilcox of Georgia Southern a 2nd-3rd rd pick was a former WR then RB now a hard hitting safety. All 3 Georgia guys Williams, Rambo and Commings will go around 3rd-4th would be hard hitting solutions but coverage problems.

CB is another 1st-3rd round deep draft with size/speed...Trufant/Jamar Taylor/Poyer/Logan Ryan/Will Davis/Darius Slade would like nice, Banks and Wilson's grade will be combine to see is they are man or zone but they are strong at the press. Later rounds like Mathieu/Amerson/Webb/Simon/Anthony/Hawthorne/Hyde/McGee could be 3rd-5th rd, options that fit. deep with CB and S IMO

Thomas may struggle with deep speed, but tackling is something that can be fixed fairly easy. The only issue I have with his tackling is that he doesn't really hit with any force (he's not going to be confused with Rodney Harrison)

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I really like Austin. I get that people shy away from drafting slot receivers high, but Austin is as close to as good a slot receiver as you'll find in college. I think the author in that previously cited article severely underrated Austin's speed and elusiveness. He is far superior athletically to Davone Bess and Dexter McCluster. The number of players in college football who would have scored on the 4th and 4 play against Texas can probably be counted with your fingers. Plus, Austin has outstanding hands and has shown an ability to carry the ball out of the backfield.

I'm not sure the Pats need to draft Austin, but if they aren't planning on keeping Welker, Austin would be an excellent pick.

I think I may want John Jenkins in my top 5. You just can't coach 6'4", 360 and athletic. There are plenty of DBs in this class that are worth it, but getting quality DL and OL is very hard.

The opposite actually seems true for the Pats. Seldom do they miss on defensive linemen, and I can't remember anyone drafted even remotely highly who failed on the o line. However Belichick just can't catch a break on these DBs.

I hope that the Pats seriously consider Tavon Austin. I feel like he has the type of speed that this offense could use. Also he can takeover for Welker in the slot and use his speed to stretch the field. I could see Belichick using him in a lot of different ways like he does with Hernandez when he puts him at H-Back. Austin isn't an H-Back but I could see them getting creative and using him in some formations where he lines up behind the line of scrimmage.

If I am using a first round pick for a receiver, I am taking Patterson or Allen and that's it. If you are targeting some of these second tier receivers (Hunter, Austin, Woods, T. Williams) then trade out of the first and try to get additional picks.

I am really focusing on a secondary player in the late first. I would love Banks, Matt Elam, Eric Reid, Cyprien, Desmond Trufant, or Jordan Poyer. There is a lot of depth here in the late first or early second area..... again I would love to trade down. I would love a DE/OLB type but I do not think anyone is going to be there for the taking worthy of that spot. A guy like Short (not at OLB, obviously) would work for me.